An American safari

North America is home to many ecosystems. Here are destinations where you can see animals in their natural environment.

WASHINGTON

Friday Harbor

The Puget Sound Whale Trail offers sighting of orcas, other whales and marine animals from the shore. There are 32 sites along the trail that leads from Cape Flattery to Point Roberts. The best time to see these black-and-white creatures is April to early October.

You can also visit Lime Kiln Point State Park on San Juan Island, also known as Whale Watch Park, which overlooks the Haro Strait. At the Lime Kiln lighthouse, a whale-sighting board tells when the orcas last swam by.

MORE INFORMATION:

360-902-8844 or thewhaletrail.org

ARIZONA

Tucson

Animals have adapted remarkably to the scant rainfall and dramatic temperature swings of 91,400-acre Saguaro National Park. Jackrabbits, kangaroo rats, desert tortoises, iguanas, Gila monsters and six species of rattlesnakes call the park home. Among the most unusual is the javelina, a member of the peccary family that travels in herds and can eat prickly pear cactus without harm.

Birds like roadrunners, American kestrels, Gila woodpeckers and Gambel's quail are also common – and are often found nesting inside saguaro cactuses.

MORE INFORMATION:

520-733-5158 or nps.gov/sagu

WYOMING

Yellowstone National Park

Known as the “American Serengeti” because of its vast, sweeping landscape and rich wildlife, the 2.2-million acre park contains 67 mammal species. Among the most commonly spotted are bison, elk, grizzly bears, bighorn sheep and mule deer. In 1995, gray wolves were reintroduced to the park after a 70-year absence.

The best place to see bison, elk and grizzlies is Hayden Valley, while Lamar Valley is suggested for spotting wolves.

MORE INFORMATION:

307-344-7381 or nps.gov/yell

FLORIDA

Homestead

Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness area in the U.S., home to alligators and crocodiles. The reptiles are so accustomed to tourists, they will rest within a few yards of the walkways over the glades.

Only accessible by ferry, the state's southernmost barrier island is home to a mix of wildlife including nesting sea turtles, manatees, wild horses, white-tailed deer, bobcats, armadillos, otters and more than 300 species of birds.

Once a winter destination for the Carnegie family, the island offers pristine maritime forests, wide marshes and undeveloped beaches. It has been a protected national seashore since 1972. Visitors can go for a day trip, camp overnight or stay at the historic Greyfield Inn.

Before heading to the island, many tourists top at the Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum, located in St. Marys across from the park visitor center. Exhibits illustrate the history of the island from when it was the home of Timucua Indians to the War of 1812.

MORE INFORMATION:

912-882-4336 or nps.gov/cuis

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Pittsburgh

Affectionately referred to by locals as “Moose Alley,” Route 3, which runs from Pittsburgh north to the Canadian border, is a state-designated watchable wildlife corridor. The best time to spot these large, majestic creatures is in the early morning or at dusk. There is a viewing station on Route 26 at the base of Dixville Notch.

The 22nd annual North Country Moose Festival will be held Aug. 23-25. Events include a moose-calling contest, wild moose discovery tours and a moose-watcher's breakfast.

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